Hold Congress Accountable

Knowledge is power. It makes sure people understand what is happening to their country, and how they can make a difference. FreedomWorks University will give you the tools to understand economics, the workings of government, the history of the American legal system, and the most important debates facing our nation today. Enroll in FreedomWorks University today!

Search FreedomWorks

Resources

Blog

Here's how the NSA is trying to get kids interested in a career in spying on innocent Americans

The National Security Agency rolled out a website for kids featuring nine anthropomorphic characters and games and activities aimed at teaching children about gathering signals intelligence. There's even a link that directs high school and college students to information about programs at the NSA, as well as what careers are available at the controversial agency.

Dan Raile of Pando.com attended a cyber security conference last week in San Francisco and obtained a CryptoKids Fun Book, basically a coloring and puzzle book featuring characters that appear on the kid-themed website. "Is it strange that the NSA, which takes such care to stay out of the public eye, should be so keen to capture the attention and aspirations of the young?" asked Raile. The book has a link to the NSA's kids website.

The anthropomorphic "CryptoKids" each come with bios and backstories. Characters include Decipher Dog, a signals intelligence analyst; T. Top, a teenaged turtle who specializes in computer science; and Rosie, a fox who also functions as a language analyst. The website features activities and games that interested kids can play online. They can also download print outs to make ciphers or coloring pages.

Some of the games and activities may be fun for younger kids who like to color or play online games, but most of the activities have an expiration date. That is, older kids, those in late middle school and high school, are going to spend their time playing on things that are, you know, actually fun and entertaining, not filling out NSA activity books. Still, this is an effort to put a fun face on what the NSA does, and perhaps raise awareness for its struggling recruitment efforts. The message: spying is totally "kewl." Or something.

Unfortunately, there are not any coloring printouts or activities with CryptoKids teaching kids how to lie before Congress like Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who oversees the NSA.

In March 2013, Clapper was asked directly by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) whether the intelligence agency collected any "type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans" during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing. "No, sir," Clapper replied. "Not wittingly. There are cases where they could inadvertently, perhaps, collect, but not wittingly."

Unsurprisingly, there's nothing on the NSA's kid-themed website that teaches young about the civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, such as the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from illegal searches and seizures conducted by shadowy government intelligence agencies.

On behalf of FreedomWorks’ activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and urge him or her to vote YES on the important amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2018, H.R. 2810.

Section 702, the controversial aspect of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which allows for mass surveillance of American Citizens, is set to phase out at the end of 2017. Some in congress have introduced measures that would make Section 702, in its current form, permanent law and avoid any reforms which might grant Americans greater privacy protections. Here are 10 reasons why that is an absolutely horrific idea.

Over the past several decades cars have become increasingly high tech allowing for computers to take larger roles in the routine functions of the car. Computerized functions have been a boon to consumers, who gain greater reliability and efficiently, but it has also increased the vulnerability to criminal hacking.

More than 230,000 computer systems from across the globe were recently attacked by a vicious ransomware virus, named “Wanna Cry,” that crippled computers for some of America’s largest companies, including FedEx. The virus, one of the largest of its kind, was paid for by the American taxpayers. How did this happen? How did this life threatening tool end up in the hands of seemingly illiterate hackers? Simple answer: government incompetency.

Last year, Yahoo received a court order from the Justice Department (who obtained it from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) obligating Yahoo to scan all of its users’ emails for specific information, which has not been disclosed. We do know some of that search involved finding traces of malware. By modifying a standard spam filter, Yahoo was able to search through all of its users’ emails, not just individual accounts, in real time. Yahoo claims to have since discontinued this practice.

As one of our over 5.7 million FreedomWorks activists nationwide, I urge you to contact your representative and ask them to vote YES on the Rep. Massie (R-Ky.), Lofgren (D-Calif.), and Poe (R-Texas) amendment to H.R. 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2017, if the amendment is allowed to be debated on the House floor. The amendment would require the NSA and other intelligence agencies to follow due process and obtain a warrant to collect the communications of American citizens. We urge the House Rules Committee to make this important amendment in order so it can be debated and voted on by the House. If the amendment is made in order, it is expected to be considered in the House this week.

Following the news of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s intent to probe the National Security Agency’s snooping lawmakers who had been in contact with Israeli officials, FreedomWorks Legislative Affairs Manager Josh Withrow commented:

Last night’s Republican debate drew a sharp contrast between candidates on the question of how surveillance ought to be used to fight global terrorism. Tempers flared as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio engaged in a heated back and forth over the wisdom of bulk spying in general, and the USA Freedom Act in particular.